The Trouble with Breathing
by Muse2488
Summary: Casey's in a bit of a bind. Will anyone be able to help him? This is the third sotry in the challenge from Simone Robinson. The word is 'Cord.' Rated for language and violence.


**A/N: Number three y'all! This is my third story for the challenge issued by Simone Robinson. This stars none other than our own Casey Jones! The word is 'Cord.' Enjoy! And don't forget to feed my review addiction!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Casey. I kinda wish I did cuz he's pretty awesome. I don't own the turtles either. It makes me sad, but what can ya do? **

Casey felt the cord tighten around his neck. Black spots danced in front of his eyes as his airway was cut off. His fingers were clawing at the offending object as it grew tighter and tighter. Casey couldn't help but think that this was it. This was how he was going to die; by the hands of a couple of punk ass Purple Dragons. He couldn't reach for his baseball bat as it lay tossed to the side with the rest of his weapons. His hockey mask was pushed up against his forehead and he could only imagine the poor joy the Dragons were currently feeling as they watched his eyes bug out while he desperately gasped for air.

"M'gonna enjoy watchin' you die." The punk with the cord around his neck whispered in his ear. Casey grunted as he continued to struggle. Panic was starting to set in and Casey knew he was in trouble.

What was it that Donnie had said about panicking? Deep calming breaths? Yeah, right. Ya gotta have access to air in order to take deep calming breaths. And right now Casey had none. The cord was digging painfully into his neck. He could feel it was serrated slightly, little razor blade sharp things impaled themselves in his neck and he could feel blood dripping down and seeping into his shirt.

April was gonna be pissed. She told him blood was hard to get out of shirts and he had promised to be more careful. Truth be told he _was_ being pretty careful. He didn't allow them to corner him, he was fully aware of his surroundings, and he had even managed to crack open two out the five heads right open. The big one had got the jump on him though. He had turned around for just a second to swing at the skinnier one and that's when he felt something smack into the back of his head. He fell to his knees and in one swift movement the Dragon had that friggin' cord around his neck.

Casey started to feel lightheaded; the black spots were now more like black patches. He felt extremely tired now and his eyes were slowly closing and opening. It would be so easy to just close his eyes and succumb to the pain, to the choking.

But he wanted to live. He didn't want to die! Especially not at the hands of bastard Purple Dragons. Casey clawed at the cord again, wincing as it dug painfully into his neck, trying his hardest to unwrap it from around him.

"It ain't gonna do ya no good. Ya ain't walkin' outta here alive." The Dragon whispered to him again, his buddies cackling in the background.

Casey finally lost the battle, his eyes shutting as he gurgled for one last breath…

OoOoOoO

"Casey! Casey, I swear ta God, I'm gonna kill ya if ya don't open yer eyes now!" A voice was shouting at him. Casey could've sworn someone was shaking him. His head lolled to the side back and forth as he slowly came to.

"Wha—" He said as his eyes slowly opened and then he was thrown into a coughing fit.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there Case." Casey felt a hand rubbing his back soothingly as he worked through the coughing fit. Once it was over he started dragging deep, shuddering breaths of precious oxygen. His lungs were burning and his neck was killing him. He brought a trembling hand up to and could feel deep cuts all around his neck. His eyes were tearing up from the coughs and he looked up with bleary eyes at his best friend.

"R-Raph?" Casey croaked.

"Yeah it's me ya knucklehead." Raphael replied.

Casey coughed once more and leaned back against Raph's plastron, his chest still heaving for breath.

"Man that was a close one." Casey said.

Raph said nothing as he allowed Casey to rest. A few minutes later and Casey was struggling to get to his feet. Raph helped his friend up and once Casey was standing he gave Raph a cocky grin. Raphael's eyes flashed and before Casey could do anything the red banded turtle's hand smacked the back of Casey's head.

"OW! Raph? What the hell man?"

"Don't you ever…_ever_…do anything that stupid again." Raphael snarled.

Casey opened his mouth to snark something back at Raph, but the absolute fear in his best friends eyes made him shut up. He had rarely ever seen the turtle so scared.

"Sorry." He muttered.

Raph narrowed his eyes more before his expression softened. He tilted Casey's chin up and inspected his neck. Raph winced slightly.

"Yer probably gonna need to see Don." He told Casey.

Casey grimaced. "Hurts like hell dude."

"That don't surprise me. That cord ripped yer neck to shreds."

"Figures." Casey said hoarsely, then he noticed the blood all over Raph. "That ain't yers is it?"

Raph snorted. "Course not. I ain't a pussy like ya. Disposed of the three ya hadn't finished yet. It was messier than usual. Guess I lost my temper."

Casey gave a hoarse laugh, leaning against Raph as they started walking. He hadn't felt this weak in a long time.

"Ape's gonna be pissed." Raphael smirked.

Casey groaned. He was so not looking forward to the long lecture about being more careful and not going out alone blah, blah, blah.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, Casey limping and putting most of his weight on Raphael.

"Hey Raph?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks."

"Always Case. Always."


End file.
